What do you think?
Rate this book
Rules #2
Changing Rules: Special Edition
She's the love of my life...and I'll do anything to win her back.
ISABELLA LAWSON is the happiest she’s ever been, simply because ALEXANDER WALKER loves her. With him by her side, Bella begins to understand her worth. The only problem? Not everyone wants to see her in Xander’s life.
Schemes, betrayals, and secrets lead to the shattering of two hearts, and Bella’s best option is to leave Boston and focus on herself for a change. She puts rules in place to keep from getting hurt again, and when she returns to Boston, she’s stronger than ever.
Xander’s love for Bella has never wavered, despite how painful it was to be cut out of her life so easily.
When Bella returns to Boston, Xander’s committed to convincing her they’re the perfect match, to change the rules she set for herself. Rekindling their passion is tempting, but will succumbing to their desires only cause more pain? And will the person lurking in the shadows destroy them for good?
--
Changing Rules is an angsty second chance sports romance. The book two of Rules Duet and cannot be read as a standalone.
ISABELLA LAWSON is the happiest she’s ever been, simply because ALEXANDER WALKER loves her. With him by her side, Bella begins to understand her worth. The only problem? Not everyone wants to see her in Xander’s life.
Schemes, betrayals, and secrets lead to the shattering of two hearts, and Bella’s best option is to leave Boston and focus on herself for a change. She puts rules in place to keep from getting hurt again, and when she returns to Boston, she’s stronger than ever.
Xander’s love for Bella has never wavered, despite how painful it was to be cut out of her life so easily.
When Bella returns to Boston, Xander’s committed to convincing her they’re the perfect match, to change the rules she set for herself. Rekindling their passion is tempting, but will succumbing to their desires only cause more pain? And will the person lurking in the shadows destroy them for good?
--
Changing Rules is an angsty second chance sports romance. The book two of Rules Duet and cannot be read as a standalone.
396 pages, Paperback
Published July 17, 2025
235 people are currently reading
1100 people want to read
About the author
Anastasija White
11 books1,013 followersAnastasija is an indie author who spends her days creating swoon-worthy and steamy stories that will make your heart race. Her writing is filled with flawed and relatable characters that you'll find yourself rooting for. Whether you're in the mood for angsty drama or steamy romance, her stories take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with guaranteed happy endings.
When she's not writing, she loves to lose herself in reading books, rewatching her favorite tv-shows and spending time with her son. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and then including places she visited in her novels.
If you're a fan of romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more, Anastasija is the author for you. Connect with her on Instagram and TikTok, where she loves to hear from her readers and share sneak peeks of her books and upcoming projects.
Instagram
TikTok
Pinterest
When she's not writing, she loves to lose herself in reading books, rewatching her favorite tv-shows and spending time with her son. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and then including places she visited in her novels.
If you're a fan of romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more, Anastasija is the author for you. Connect with her on Instagram and TikTok, where she loves to hear from her readers and share sneak peeks of her books and upcoming projects.
TikTok
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
Read
July 23, 2025This might be a just me thing guys; but I don’t know I don’t think I would continue texting/talking to my ex if my partner told me they were uncomfortable
You fucking idiot
“You and I texted every day, at all hours. I barely talked to her about what I had going on because I’d already discussed my days with you. I took her for granted. I stopped checking in with her.” I. Am. A. Fool.
Her shoulders sag. “When you put it like that, I guess it was a bit much.”
“Stace, you sent me selfies constantly, even late at night. That’s what girlfriends do with their boyfriends,” I rasp. “But I’m to blame too. I was so caught up in how well you were doing, so thankful we could be friends after what we went through, that I lost sight of the one person who matters most”
July 14, 2025
What a big pile of crap. I have a lot of shit to say so buckle up. Anastasija, girl, what is this nonsense?
The author failed to put “extreme emotional cheating” in the tw list, because saying there’s ow drama is an understatement. I was kind of hyped bc book 1 was enjoyable and I love angst so I was prepared but this book turned out to be soooo bad it’s ridiculous.
Xander's gf (Bella) legit stopped existing to him when he reconnected with his ex-turned-friend. He didn't pay attention to Bella before she caught him in a lie and he continued to disrespect her even after she had a fight with him and told him about her feelings. This man didn't give a damn about her. When they had their first fight, he said so many things to reassure her, but none of them were convincing or had the desired effect.
When she told him about how she felt like she didn't exist to him, how he didn't reply to her messages because he was busy with his ex, and how she felt like an "anomaly" knowing that all of his crushes/hookups/ex were blondes (I know it sounds odd, but the context is important), I lost all desire to continue. Xander yapped so much in his defense, but not once did he offer reasonable argument to dispel any of her concerns. But you know what he said? That she’s blowing it out of proportion. The worst part is that he doesn’t even tell her that he will cut ties with his ex. Bruh, what a fucking loser. I don’t even give a fuck about that idiot girl 😭 So yeah. After that, he continued to give all his attention to his ex and treat Bella as if she were of secondary importance.
Although Xander’s sister Audrey was a piece of shit who interfered in his life, she’s not entirely responsible, unlike him. All she did was put his ex in his line of sight and he was happy about it too. And him blaming his sister instead of himself was funny af like boy look in the mirror.
At the last minute, he set boundaries with Audrey after the first fight with Bella, but he didn't do the same with Stacey. Retarded much? It wasn't until Bella decided to break up with him that he FINALLY and MIRACULOUSLY realized how destructive his "friendship" with Stacey had been. I loved Bella, her character arc made me sad, but I was waiting for her to stop being “rational” for once and say more than she did and yell at him and that “I’m not enough for you anymore because all your focus is on your fucking ex” with whom he reminisces their carefree college days (when they were together, mind you). He deserved worse lashings.
You know what people say about female friends… and let’s not forget Xander comparing Bella to Stacey his ex in book 1. Again, you know what they say about a man’s first girlfriend being the standard 🤣 I was like it can’t be that deep, right? But why is it that real life and works of fiction like this one only reinforce this statement. It had me wondering if Stacey was Anastasija’s self-insert.
The author spent all her energy on making the 1st part of the book as angsty as possible, but she got too lazy to properly make up for all the shit she put Bella through.
The dialogue was terrible, the writing in general was lazy, sloppy, and chopped, there was no real development, too many vanilla love declarations that felt bitter after everything the author made Xander do, not enough groveling, and useless, boring sex scenes that paled in comparison to the 1st book. This book is mediocre at best. I’m glad that Xander at least continued to show up for her in the second half but it’s annoying how Bella took him without a fight.
The problem here is that Anastasija was doing way too much in the name of angst, and by the time the damage was done, you just didn't care anymore, and all that was left was irritation. It kind of hurts because I was rooting so much for them… 🤧
This woman’s minions who give the book five stars are actually just blatantly lying through their teeth 🙁 Even 3 stars is too generous.
Let me change the rating of book 1 while I'm at it.
The author failed to put “extreme emotional cheating” in the tw list, because saying there’s ow drama is an understatement. I was kind of hyped bc book 1 was enjoyable and I love angst so I was prepared but this book turned out to be soooo bad it’s ridiculous.
Xander's gf (Bella) legit stopped existing to him when he reconnected with his ex-turned-friend. He didn't pay attention to Bella before she caught him in a lie and he continued to disrespect her even after she had a fight with him and told him about her feelings. This man didn't give a damn about her. When they had their first fight, he said so many things to reassure her, but none of them were convincing or had the desired effect.
When she told him about how she felt like she didn't exist to him, how he didn't reply to her messages because he was busy with his ex, and how she felt like an "anomaly" knowing that all of his crushes/hookups/ex were blondes (I know it sounds odd, but the context is important), I lost all desire to continue. Xander yapped so much in his defense, but not once did he offer reasonable argument to dispel any of her concerns. But you know what he said? That she’s blowing it out of proportion. The worst part is that he doesn’t even tell her that he will cut ties with his ex. Bruh, what a fucking loser. I don’t even give a fuck about that idiot girl 😭 So yeah. After that, he continued to give all his attention to his ex and treat Bella as if she were of secondary importance.
Although Xander’s sister Audrey was a piece of shit who interfered in his life, she’s not entirely responsible, unlike him. All she did was put his ex in his line of sight and he was happy about it too. And him blaming his sister instead of himself was funny af like boy look in the mirror.
At the last minute, he set boundaries with Audrey after the first fight with Bella, but he didn't do the same with Stacey. Retarded much? It wasn't until Bella decided to break up with him that he FINALLY and MIRACULOUSLY realized how destructive his "friendship" with Stacey had been. I loved Bella, her character arc made me sad, but I was waiting for her to stop being “rational” for once and say more than she did and yell at him and that “I’m not enough for you anymore because all your focus is on your fucking ex” with whom he reminisces their carefree college days (when they were together, mind you). He deserved worse lashings.
You know what people say about female friends… and let’s not forget Xander comparing Bella to Stacey his ex in book 1. Again, you know what they say about a man’s first girlfriend being the standard 🤣 I was like it can’t be that deep, right? But why is it that real life and works of fiction like this one only reinforce this statement. It had me wondering if Stacey was Anastasija’s self-insert.
The author spent all her energy on making the 1st part of the book as angsty as possible, but she got too lazy to properly make up for all the shit she put Bella through.
The dialogue was terrible, the writing in general was lazy, sloppy, and chopped, there was no real development, too many vanilla love declarations that felt bitter after everything the author made Xander do, not enough groveling, and useless, boring sex scenes that paled in comparison to the 1st book. This book is mediocre at best. I’m glad that Xander at least continued to show up for her in the second half but it’s annoying how Bella took him without a fight.
The problem here is that Anastasija was doing way too much in the name of angst, and by the time the damage was done, you just didn't care anymore, and all that was left was irritation. It kind of hurts because I was rooting so much for them… 🤧
This woman’s minions who give the book five stars are actually just blatantly lying through their teeth 🙁 Even 3 stars is too generous.
Let me change the rating of book 1 while I'm at it.
July 9, 2025
the first book in this series was a DNF for me because i thought the FMC was annoying, but i skimmed through it to prepare for this one. i found the FMC much more likable this time around… she FOUND HER SPINE (mostly… maybe 75% of it) 😮💨
+ the FMC actually kicked the MMC’s ass to the curb (and left him there for a year 😍) after dealing with his family and ex-girlfriend bullshit. they were also both celibate during their separation (though i would have preferred if the FMC had slept her way across new york after what a dbag the MMC was to her).
- the OWD and emotional cheating in this book gave me a stomach ache 🫠 i do not personally feel that the MMC groveled enough for “emotionally cheating” with his ex for two months before the FMC dumped him, and i also hated that the FMC just shrugged off the MMC’s ex being a snake.
overall, i would consider this book aggressively “fine”
+ the FMC actually kicked the MMC’s ass to the curb (and left him there for a year 😍) after dealing with his family and ex-girlfriend bullshit. they were also both celibate during their separation (though i would have preferred if the FMC had slept her way across new york after what a dbag the MMC was to her).
- the OWD and emotional cheating in this book gave me a stomach ache 🫠 i do not personally feel that the MMC groveled enough for “emotionally cheating” with his ex for two months before the FMC dumped him, and i also hated that the FMC just shrugged off the MMC’s ex being a snake.
overall, i would consider this book aggressively “fine”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
This story honestly consumed me from the very first chapter! Changing Rules is book two in the Rules Duet and is a little heavier and darker than the first one, I highly recommend reading Breaking Rules first. This duet does cover some heavy topics like parental neglect, mental and physical abuse to name a few so please take a look if certain topics are triggering. This story has it all from emotionally gripping events that tugged at my heart strings, it’s full of angst and drama and two characters that will forever have a place in my heart. Bella her growth, her ability to love herself again after a shocking upbringing was so beautifully written and honestly Xander was perfection with his ability to learn from his past mistakes and the way he fought for Bella truly made him more impressive. I highly recommend this one if you love a drama filled romance full of angst, spice and two characters who both deserved to be loved then this duet is for you. I received a complementary copy from Grey’s Promotion.
July 4, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
🗓️ Release Date: 07.09.25
📚 Book 2 of the "Rules" Duet, Cannot be Read as a Standalone
🗣️ Dual POV
🖤 M/F
🏈 Football Romance
In Breaking Rules: A Forbidden Love Sports Romance Book 1 of the "Rules" Duet we meet Isabella & Xander. My review of Breaking Rules can be found here [Link]. Changing Rules does not start where the epilogue in Breaking Rules leaves off, it actually back tracks you and outlines the events that transpired to get us to where the Epilogue leaves off which then becomes "present" time for our MC's.
Sheesh, my anxiety was seriously at an all time high with this book. After the cliffhanger and subject matter from book 1, I knew this wasnt going to be an easy ride but I still dont think I was emotionally prepared for the true rollercoaster this was. I thought that I disliked Xander's sister Audrey in book 1 but I fully and truly hated her in this book. She is unredeemable in my eyes, and Xander's lack of boundaries with her honestly made me hate him too for a portion of the book.
There isnt a lot that I can write in this review that doesnt give away Book 1, and even less that doesnt give away the ending so im just going to say that this book is a little heavier than the first, so I recommend checking your trigger warnings. I am also going to say that Jake gets less than he deserved, but at least he does get a little karma. I also love the backbone that Bella grew, and her boundaries that she set. She did the work, and that was an important theme in the book that should be recognized. Also, Xander should have done more groveling but thats just a personal opinion 😂
This was a solid read, minimal if any spelling/grammatical errors, and full of heart wrenching decisions. I really enjoyed this, and recommend starting from Book 1 to really see how much Bella has grown.
Tropes:
🖤 Second Chance
🏈 Football Romance
🖤 Its Always Been You
🏈 Protective Hero
🖤 Reunited Lovers
🏈 Emotional Cheating [imo]
🖤 HEA
🌶️🌶️/5
🗓️ Release Date: 07.09.25
📚 Book 2 of the "Rules" Duet, Cannot be Read as a Standalone
🗣️ Dual POV
🖤 M/F
🏈 Football Romance
In Breaking Rules: A Forbidden Love Sports Romance Book 1 of the "Rules" Duet we meet Isabella & Xander. My review of Breaking Rules can be found here [Link]. Changing Rules does not start where the epilogue in Breaking Rules leaves off, it actually back tracks you and outlines the events that transpired to get us to where the Epilogue leaves off which then becomes "present" time for our MC's.
Sheesh, my anxiety was seriously at an all time high with this book. After the cliffhanger and subject matter from book 1, I knew this wasnt going to be an easy ride but I still dont think I was emotionally prepared for the true rollercoaster this was. I thought that I disliked Xander's sister Audrey in book 1 but I fully and truly hated her in this book. She is unredeemable in my eyes, and Xander's lack of boundaries with her honestly made me hate him too for a portion of the book.
There isnt a lot that I can write in this review that doesnt give away Book 1, and even less that doesnt give away the ending so im just going to say that this book is a little heavier than the first, so I recommend checking your trigger warnings. I am also going to say that Jake gets less than he deserved, but at least he does get a little karma. I also love the backbone that Bella grew, and her boundaries that she set. She did the work, and that was an important theme in the book that should be recognized. Also, Xander should have done more groveling but thats just a personal opinion 😂
This was a solid read, minimal if any spelling/grammatical errors, and full of heart wrenching decisions. I really enjoyed this, and recommend starting from Book 1 to really see how much Bella has grown.
Tropes:
🖤 Second Chance
🏈 Football Romance
🖤 Its Always Been You
🏈 Protective Hero
🖤 Reunited Lovers
🏈 Emotional Cheating [imo]
🖤 HEA
July 9, 2025
#Review: *Changing Rules* - Anastasija White - ARC [18+]
4.9/5✨
3/5🌶️
After that out of the blue ending from the 1st book, I was sooo curious to read this sequel!! Sooo grateful for this e-ARC, for which I must thank Anastasija and Greys Promotion.🥰
As I said earlier, the last chapter of the 1st book from this "Rules Duet" has left me with so many questions. That's why it's imperative to read that book before diving into this one. It continues with the story of Bella and Xander, being thrown back to the beginning of the end. Bella had to heal mentally before being able to trust herself to be in a relationship again. Even though it was the most painful thing to do, to part ways with Xander, she knew that it was the only way to protect her heart and mind and, at the same time, to protect everything Xander has worked so hard to built in his hockey career.
We get to know about everything that happened between them that lead to their separation, all the things that piled up to make Bella take this decision. But what happened after this breakup wrecked them? Even though time has passed, their feelings were even stronger than before and Xander was super determined to earn his girl back, but circumstances won't make his task that easy.
I felt so strong the angst from this story, how every single event affected these two. It was mind blowing to learn the complicated past of Bella, to see how much she struggled. I loved Xander's determination to be part of Bella's life again and how addicted to her he was. There were so many things they needed to resolve and to get past, in order to just start from scratch. A bumpy road won't make them give up that easily, especially considering how strong their feelings for each other were. An insane magnetic force was activated everytime they were in each other's proximity.
This sequel hasn't disappointed me at all, loving this mix of helplessness, hurt, obsession, love and determination. A book which made me feel every emotion at the same time with the characters, being pretty affected by everything. This duet serie was soooo good and it deserves to be given a chance!
✨Tropes
#SecondChanceRomance
#BoyObsessed
#StartingOver
#TragicPast
#AngstyRomance
#TouchHerAndDie
#HeroineInDanger
#SportsRomance
#Football
4.9/5✨
3/5🌶️
After that out of the blue ending from the 1st book, I was sooo curious to read this sequel!! Sooo grateful for this e-ARC, for which I must thank Anastasija and Greys Promotion.🥰
As I said earlier, the last chapter of the 1st book from this "Rules Duet" has left me with so many questions. That's why it's imperative to read that book before diving into this one. It continues with the story of Bella and Xander, being thrown back to the beginning of the end. Bella had to heal mentally before being able to trust herself to be in a relationship again. Even though it was the most painful thing to do, to part ways with Xander, she knew that it was the only way to protect her heart and mind and, at the same time, to protect everything Xander has worked so hard to built in his hockey career.
We get to know about everything that happened between them that lead to their separation, all the things that piled up to make Bella take this decision. But what happened after this breakup wrecked them? Even though time has passed, their feelings were even stronger than before and Xander was super determined to earn his girl back, but circumstances won't make his task that easy.
I felt so strong the angst from this story, how every single event affected these two. It was mind blowing to learn the complicated past of Bella, to see how much she struggled. I loved Xander's determination to be part of Bella's life again and how addicted to her he was. There were so many things they needed to resolve and to get past, in order to just start from scratch. A bumpy road won't make them give up that easily, especially considering how strong their feelings for each other were. An insane magnetic force was activated everytime they were in each other's proximity.
This sequel hasn't disappointed me at all, loving this mix of helplessness, hurt, obsession, love and determination. A book which made me feel every emotion at the same time with the characters, being pretty affected by everything. This duet serie was soooo good and it deserves to be given a chance!
✨Tropes
#SecondChanceRomance
#BoyObsessed
#StartingOver
#TragicPast
#AngstyRomance
#TouchHerAndDie
#HeroineInDanger
#SportsRomance
#Football
July 19, 2025
After the ending of the first book I needed the next one! I was not expecting the first book to end how it did.
I really liked Bella this book. She had a lot of growth and I really liked how strong she became. There were a lot of really emotional parts especially learning about her past so I was happy to see her overcome and heal from a lot.
Xander really disappointed me 😭😭
I wish he groveled more but I was proud of Bella for not taking him back immediately. I was shocked how he treated Bella in the beginning of the book and didn’t think he did anything wrong 😒 and I was getting sooo annoyed at him and Stacey omg.
I did appreciate his determination to show Bella he changed and how he did make changes during their time a part. Bella needed to give him a wake up call and she did! He also had a lot of growth and was able to set healthy boundaries with his family.
My biggest and really only problem was I wasn’t expecting the emotional cheating and for it to last as long as it did in the book. I do wish I knew about that ahead of time since cheating between MCs is usually a hard no for me.
It is clear these two are soulmates though.
This book was super emotional but I enjoyed how everything wrapped up.
And the ending makes me think we are going to get a book about their kid when they are older and I can’t wait!!
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5
Spice 🌶️: 2.5/5
Dual POV
💙 Sports romance
💙 Second chance
💙 Tragic past
��� It’s always been you
Thank you so much to the author for the arc!
I really liked Bella this book. She had a lot of growth and I really liked how strong she became. There were a lot of really emotional parts especially learning about her past so I was happy to see her overcome and heal from a lot.
Xander really disappointed me 😭😭
I wish he groveled more but I was proud of Bella for not taking him back immediately. I was shocked how he treated Bella in the beginning of the book and didn’t think he did anything wrong 😒 and I was getting sooo annoyed at him and Stacey omg.
I did appreciate his determination to show Bella he changed and how he did make changes during their time a part. Bella needed to give him a wake up call and she did! He also had a lot of growth and was able to set healthy boundaries with his family.
My biggest and really only problem was I wasn’t expecting the emotional cheating and for it to last as long as it did in the book. I do wish I knew about that ahead of time since cheating between MCs is usually a hard no for me.
It is clear these two are soulmates though.
This book was super emotional but I enjoyed how everything wrapped up.
And the ending makes me think we are going to get a book about their kid when they are older and I can’t wait!!
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5
Spice 🌶️: 2.5/5
Dual POV
💙 Sports romance
💙 Second chance
💙 Tragic past
��� It’s always been you
Thank you so much to the author for the arc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
I loved this book, I was upset at some things, but not so bad that it changed my opinion of it. Like even though I wasn’t obsessed with the time jump, their breakup and the reasoning for the breakup, but I did see it as necessary. Because after the time jump and being on her own, Bella became confident within herself and got the help that she needed, so I loved that for her. I loved seeing them fall back into love with each other, and how smoothly it happened. I was very happy that a certain someone wasn’t in Xander's life anymore and that he set a boundary with another person (the reason for the break up). Also, you definitely need to read the trigger warnings before this book because chapter 40 had some upsetting things happen. But besides that, I loved seeing how in love they were with each other, despite the time apart.
June 30, 2025
ARC REVIEW
ANA DID IT AGAIN!!!!
I know you probably sick and tired of me praising and worshipping the ground Ana walks on, but I won't ever stop recommending her work, the amazing person that she is, or the amazing characters she creates. Her mind is magnificent.
This book broke me in the most gut wrenching way, it made me ugly cry while simultaneously making me whole again. I can honestly say I loved every single second I spent reading this; but with a book written by Ana I will always love every single second I can get reading anything she writes and with this book? she executed the most perfect ending.
Now the characters had some major character development which made me love their story even more, we got to see how they grow and learn from the past. It made me so happy to see Xander and Bella get their happy ending; after all their trials and tribulations.
If there is one thing you should do? its read this duology. I hated waiting for the second one but it was well worth it just as Ana promised.
ANA DID IT AGAIN!!!!
I know you probably sick and tired of me praising and worshipping the ground Ana walks on, but I won't ever stop recommending her work, the amazing person that she is, or the amazing characters she creates. Her mind is magnificent.
This book broke me in the most gut wrenching way, it made me ugly cry while simultaneously making me whole again. I can honestly say I loved every single second I spent reading this; but with a book written by Ana I will always love every single second I can get reading anything she writes and with this book? she executed the most perfect ending.
Now the characters had some major character development which made me love their story even more, we got to see how they grow and learn from the past. It made me so happy to see Xander and Bella get their happy ending; after all their trials and tribulations.
If there is one thing you should do? its read this duology. I hated waiting for the second one but it was well worth it just as Ana promised.
July 10, 2025
After reading the first book, Breaking Rules, I was sort of anticipating this book, but not to the point I'd usually be for a second book in a duet. I'm not going to lie, I did not enjoy the first book all that much, mainly because Bella to me had a glaring issue with the lack of backbone and true ability to stand up for herself and change her situation. I also didn't enjoy hearing about Xander's past and his antics, which really soured my opinion of him (previously, I had liked his character). This book, though having a predictable obstacle placed in, like Stacey's presence and the fact that Audrey had a hand in their breakup, still managed to surprise me and keep me engaged most of the time.
Starting with Bella, I actually loved her character growth in this book. It hurt me so bad to witness her essentially putting herself last and doing everything she could to ensure Xander was unharmed, whether it was putting up with his sister's hatred for her for the sake of "family," or not pressing charges against Jake in order not to impact Xander's football career, she suffered so much to make her man happy and to keep the peace. I loved seeing her break up with Xander, which, thank god, they did, because even near the end of the first book, I lowkey could see a breakup coming their way. The breakup did her so much good, allowing her to fly freely and to become a version of herself where she wasn't suppressed and forced to be compliant, where she could speak and think for herself.
I also loved how she didn't immediately take Xander back, making him work for it and forcing him to show that he genuinely changed and that he finally could respect her autonomy, allowing her to actually make her own choices and letting her dictate how she ran her life. For so long, Bella was forced to essentially be meek in order to make those in her life satisfied and accepting of her. I was heartbroken to see the lengths she went to receive any form of love or acceptance from her mom, Jake, and her stepdad, Kevin. She suffered so much, and she really went through a whole lot, so I was super glad she was able to finally find herself and live a life not dictated by those around her. I definitely enjoyed her character a whole lot more than I did in the first book, and it was a refreshing sight to see her so unbound and strong, her inner strength and resilience making her all the more captivating.
Xander in the first half of the book actually had me triggered so bad. The way he failed to really set real boundaries with his sister Audrey, paired with his almost immediate friendship with Stacey (his college ex) after being reacquainted with her, made my blood boil.
First, I hated how he wasn't as proactive in handling his sister and setting firm and solid boundaries with her, only doing so after it was too late and Bella had broken up with him. It was so bad when Audrey would literally insult or have a dig at Bella and Xander wouldn't do as much as he should, being oblivious or just scolding her lightly. I understood that she was his older sister and that he believed she was looking out for him and was being "protective" (if you can even call it that), but she overstepped so many boundaries and lines that it was mind-boggling. I honestly felt so bad for Bella for having to put up with this, and the fact Xander didn't immediately set those hard boundaries wasn't it.
Don't even get me started on Stacey. UGH. The way he emotionally cheated on Bella for two months with her, even if it was purely under a friendship pretense, was so wrong and not it. I could not believe how this man essentially pushed Bella to the sidelines and funnelled all his attention to Stacey, making himself available to her when she needed him or talking to her about his day and constantly texting her (all things he should be doing with Bella, HIS GIRLFRIEND).
Stacey, knowing that she was negatively affecting their relationship and not caring was not it. And regardless of her apology to Bella later, I still despised her for causing a wedge between them, knowing it was wrong. Xander himself though definitely messed up bad, literally hiding his texts and meetups with Stacey, despite it all apparently being "friendly." Yes, it was friendly primarily and nothing romantic, but it still didn't make it any better that he was pulling away from Bella and being all shady and not present.
I'm so glad that Bella actually broke up with him and left his ass, because Xander truly needed a wakeup call and needed to change fast. The behaviours he exhibited and the boundaries he let the people in his life cross was so disrespectful towards Bella, and I'm glad she knew her worth and left when she did. It was also great to see him realize the effects of his inaction when it came to protecting Bella, eventually leading him to know he had to cut his sister out of his life completely and reduce his interactions and communications with Stacey to a minimum. I also am glad that Xander realized he had a sort of "hero complex," one that was glaringly obvious from the Jake and Bella situation (him "saving" her from Jake), and had chosen to try to change his mentality and behaviour to prove to Bella that he had grown.
Even though Xander didn't grovel as much as he should've, his growth and mindset change along with his constant attempts and efforts to try to prove to Bella he was a different man had been sufficient to me as a way to resolve the issues left after their breakup, like going incognito while in public with her to respect her privacy, or openly communicating and tamping down his jealousy. Although I'm not fully satisfied with the whole Stacey thing, I liked his constant reassurances that he never loved Stacey as much as he loves Bella and that his interactions and communications with her had all been friendly and nothing more, even taking it upon himself to issue a public statement of the same sentiment when a tabloid photo had been released of them (her leaving his house after their talk post-Bella breakup).
Audrey and Jake got what they deserved, which I'm super happy and satisfied about, and I'm so glad that Bella and Xander finally got the happy ending they deserved. Xander was truly a changed man from the moment he laid eyes on Bella, and I'm glad that Bella became such a strong and resilient person. Their epilogue with their daughter, Isla, made me smile, and it was so cute to see Xander as a dad and to see Bella treat her daughter the way she wished her mom had treated her. It was so full circle, and this book helped make the duet feel complete. I only took stars off because of Xander's emotional cheating (regardless of it being friendly on his end) as well as the spice (I felt like there were moments where spice was inserted that it wasn't really needed or felt out of place). Overall, I liked this book better than the first one, and it was a great conclusion to the duet.
Starting with Bella, I actually loved her character growth in this book. It hurt me so bad to witness her essentially putting herself last and doing everything she could to ensure Xander was unharmed, whether it was putting up with his sister's hatred for her for the sake of "family," or not pressing charges against Jake in order not to impact Xander's football career, she suffered so much to make her man happy and to keep the peace. I loved seeing her break up with Xander, which, thank god, they did, because even near the end of the first book, I lowkey could see a breakup coming their way. The breakup did her so much good, allowing her to fly freely and to become a version of herself where she wasn't suppressed and forced to be compliant, where she could speak and think for herself.
I also loved how she didn't immediately take Xander back, making him work for it and forcing him to show that he genuinely changed and that he finally could respect her autonomy, allowing her to actually make her own choices and letting her dictate how she ran her life. For so long, Bella was forced to essentially be meek in order to make those in her life satisfied and accepting of her. I was heartbroken to see the lengths she went to receive any form of love or acceptance from her mom, Jake, and her stepdad, Kevin. She suffered so much, and she really went through a whole lot, so I was super glad she was able to finally find herself and live a life not dictated by those around her. I definitely enjoyed her character a whole lot more than I did in the first book, and it was a refreshing sight to see her so unbound and strong, her inner strength and resilience making her all the more captivating.
Xander in the first half of the book actually had me triggered so bad. The way he failed to really set real boundaries with his sister Audrey, paired with his almost immediate friendship with Stacey (his college ex) after being reacquainted with her, made my blood boil.
First, I hated how he wasn't as proactive in handling his sister and setting firm and solid boundaries with her, only doing so after it was too late and Bella had broken up with him. It was so bad when Audrey would literally insult or have a dig at Bella and Xander wouldn't do as much as he should, being oblivious or just scolding her lightly. I understood that she was his older sister and that he believed she was looking out for him and was being "protective" (if you can even call it that), but she overstepped so many boundaries and lines that it was mind-boggling. I honestly felt so bad for Bella for having to put up with this, and the fact Xander didn't immediately set those hard boundaries wasn't it.
Don't even get me started on Stacey. UGH. The way he emotionally cheated on Bella for two months with her, even if it was purely under a friendship pretense, was so wrong and not it. I could not believe how this man essentially pushed Bella to the sidelines and funnelled all his attention to Stacey, making himself available to her when she needed him or talking to her about his day and constantly texting her (all things he should be doing with Bella, HIS GIRLFRIEND).
Stacey, knowing that she was negatively affecting their relationship and not caring was not it. And regardless of her apology to Bella later, I still despised her for causing a wedge between them, knowing it was wrong. Xander himself though definitely messed up bad, literally hiding his texts and meetups with Stacey, despite it all apparently being "friendly." Yes, it was friendly primarily and nothing romantic, but it still didn't make it any better that he was pulling away from Bella and being all shady and not present.
I'm so glad that Bella actually broke up with him and left his ass, because Xander truly needed a wakeup call and needed to change fast. The behaviours he exhibited and the boundaries he let the people in his life cross was so disrespectful towards Bella, and I'm glad she knew her worth and left when she did. It was also great to see him realize the effects of his inaction when it came to protecting Bella, eventually leading him to know he had to cut his sister out of his life completely and reduce his interactions and communications with Stacey to a minimum. I also am glad that Xander realized he had a sort of "hero complex," one that was glaringly obvious from the Jake and Bella situation (him "saving" her from Jake), and had chosen to try to change his mentality and behaviour to prove to Bella that he had grown.
Even though Xander didn't grovel as much as he should've, his growth and mindset change along with his constant attempts and efforts to try to prove to Bella he was a different man had been sufficient to me as a way to resolve the issues left after their breakup, like going incognito while in public with her to respect her privacy, or openly communicating and tamping down his jealousy. Although I'm not fully satisfied with the whole Stacey thing, I liked his constant reassurances that he never loved Stacey as much as he loves Bella and that his interactions and communications with her had all been friendly and nothing more, even taking it upon himself to issue a public statement of the same sentiment when a tabloid photo had been released of them (her leaving his house after their talk post-Bella breakup).
Audrey and Jake got what they deserved, which I'm super happy and satisfied about, and I'm so glad that Bella and Xander finally got the happy ending they deserved. Xander was truly a changed man from the moment he laid eyes on Bella, and I'm glad that Bella became such a strong and resilient person. Their epilogue with their daughter, Isla, made me smile, and it was so cute to see Xander as a dad and to see Bella treat her daughter the way she wished her mom had treated her. It was so full circle, and this book helped make the duet feel complete. I only took stars off because of Xander's emotional cheating (regardless of it being friendly on his end) as well as the spice (I felt like there were moments where spice was inserted that it wasn't really needed or felt out of place). Overall, I liked this book better than the first one, and it was a great conclusion to the duet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2025
This was such an emotional duet for me, I cried so much? Normally, I don’t cry for books like this but the way the feelings and emotions were described just wrecked me.
Anyhow, the first halv of this book did not go the way I expected it to in regards of how the first one ended. In my opinion it took over a bit but it really set the tone and really got the emotional part of it down. There were no questions about how the characters were doing which helped the second half.
Xander is wow. He is so attentive and loving, even when things went to shit. I just adore him, endlessly.
Bella… the turmoil that is your life. I’m just so happy it ended the way it did for you. So many of the things she’s had to endure are awful.
Also happy things with Audrey didn’t just magically fix itself and that it was left the way it was. I hated her so much. Without further ado, we also send some hate to Jake and Kevin. Fkn assholes.
Anyhow, the first halv of this book did not go the way I expected it to in regards of how the first one ended. In my opinion it took over a bit but it really set the tone and really got the emotional part of it down. There were no questions about how the characters were doing which helped the second half.
Xander is wow. He is so attentive and loving, even when things went to shit. I just adore him, endlessly.
Bella… the turmoil that is your life. I’m just so happy it ended the way it did for you. So many of the things she’s had to endure are awful.
Also happy things with Audrey didn’t just magically fix itself and that it was left the way it was. I hated her so much. Without further ado, we also send some hate to Jake and Kevin. Fkn assholes.
November 13, 2025
Dnf at 18% cause he fucking meets and texts with his ex girlfriend
Can’t get behind that
Too bad cause I liked the first book
Can’t get behind that
Too bad cause I liked the first book
July 16, 2025
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩, 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙛-𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
Buckle up kiddos…this is going to be a long one. First and foremost…ANASTASJIA WHITE…how do I even begin to thank you for writing this duet ?? The way I connected to the characters and the story is something I cannot explain. It was heartbreaking…beautiful…painful and REAL. This isn’t a flowery fairy tale romance where everything is perfect…these are two imperfect people finding love with each other in a way that defies the odds. There are real life complications. Real life issues, and Anastasjia doesn’t shy away from diving deep and giving it straight. You go from loving to hating to loving certain characters and it’s just like what we all do with certain people in our lives.
This is the second book in the Rules duet. You ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO read the first one to understand this one. And this is where I’m gonna start to lose my marbles in my review. I see some of you reviewing this book and openly hating it. But also openly stating you haven’t read the first book 👀😑 blame yourself for not liking the book. It states clearly it’s a duet. If you signed up for an arc I KNOW it said you needed to read the first. If you DNF’d the first book (which is TOTALLY OK. It’s not a book for everyone) then why read the second? Seems silly since it’s literally a continuation of the first. Also….I personally take HUGE offence to some of you calling people who like or are friends with Anastasjia her “minions” and that we give false reviews ? I’ll stop you right there. I’m not on her team. And even if I was, I would give my honest opinion. I’m on teams where some books just didn’t work for me and I’ve stated that…KINDLY. Personally attacking an author because you didn’t like the book? INSANITY. Reel it back in. It’s uncalled for. It’s unnecessary. Everyone is allowed to voice their opinions. You can voice your dislike for the characters you can voice your dislike for the story line. All. Good. It’s. Your. Opinion. What’s not ok is when you start coming for the author and other people your reviews. Don’t do that. Just because we liked it and you didn’t doesn’t mean we are minions.
Now…FOR THE GOOD STUFF…..or the painful stuff…just depends on how you look at it lol 😂 we pick up two months before the epilogue of book one and find out just what caused the giant fallout and cliffhanger that had me gasping for air. XANDER!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 I would have given this man the world in book one…but when I saw that he was emotionally cheating on Bella with his college ex gf and then kind of gaslighting her?? Making her feel like she was crazy??? Like SHE was to blame and the problem??? OH HELL NO!! I was ready to throw his a$$ in a wood chipper. Good gravy absolutely not. And then seeing that his SISTER was basically the puppet master and just creating chaos behind the scenes, cackling like dr evil?? See. This is why I said we need to feed her to the sharks…refer back to my review of book one. In. The. Trash. 🗑️
Xander deserved every bit of what he got and I was SO PROUD of Bella for FINALLY standing up for herself and breaking up with him. Breaking up and moving to a new city to take care of HERSELF?? Boss babe moves and I was carrying tears of joy while poking Xanders voodoo doll with pins. I said what I said 😤😤
Those of you coming for Bella…saying she was weak…no back bone….blah blah blah. Hush 🤫 you clearly have never been someone who’s experienced abuse and trauma your whole life. You clearly haven’t been made to feel small and insignificant. You clearly haven’t had to live your life to please others just so you wouldn’t have to suffer more at their hands. Bella was in CRISIS. She moved from abusive childhood to abusive relationship after abusive relationship. And the thing about that is, you become small. You try to make yourself small and insignificant because you want to make them happy and keep the peace. That’s how Bella lived her life. She wasn’t weak or a doormat. She was SCARED. She was living on autopilot in survival mode. And until you’ve truly experienced it, you can’t understand it.
Bella moving and ending things with Xander was the first step in her taking charge of her own life. And I know it was scary for her. I KNOW it wasn’t easy. But she did it and I was so proud. Those of you saying the author focused too much on the angst ? Again…hush 🤫 That was Bella’s reality. Point. Blank. Period.
I didn’t know if Xander could be redeemed. I didn’t know if Xander would learn. But after hating him for more than half the book I watched him redeem himself. I think what most of us forget is that Xander was learning and changing right along side Bella. What he did is inexcusable. Hands down. There was nothing shmexual while talking to his ex, but he rebuilt an emotional connection with her which threatened his relationship. His ex became his person when his person should have been his girlfriend , Bella. Xanders sister needed to be cut off and put in her place ASAP. I’m angry it took Xander so long to see the truth. But it’s hard when you want to believe the best in people. Especially your family.
I know some people are mad that Xander didn’t grovel more. I personally thought it was perfect. Grovelling wasn’t going to work for Bella. She had been fed lies and apologies…false promises her whole life. What she needed was to see action. See change. And in that aspect, Xander put in the work ten fold. The man showed her everyday that he loved her beyond measure. She showed her that he was changing. He was putting up boundaries. Defending her. Honouring her. Even when he wasn’t sure they would ever be together again because he loved her that much.
These were two broken people who met at a chaotic time in their lives. They needed to find each other to push them to be who they always were meant to be. But they also needed to fall apart to find that person on their own.
The ending…their happy ever after was everything I could have ever wanted for them and more. This duet will always have a special place in my heart. Along with Xanders voodoo doll…you know…just in case…I got your back Bella. We Isabella’s gotta stick together 💙
Thank you SO SO SO much to Anastasjia White and Greys PR for the incredible opportunity to ARC read this entire duet. I feel incredibly lucky to have been on this journey 💙
🏈Sports Romance
💙Second Book in Duet
🏈Football Romance
💙Second Chance Romance
🏈Protective Hero
💙Healing Heroine
🏈Traumatic Past
💙Abuse
🏈Emotional Cheating (by MMC)
💙It’s Always Been You
🏈Toxic Family
💙OW Drama
🏈Reunited Lovers
💙Heroine in Danger
🏈Touch Her & 💀
💙ANGST ANGST ANGST
🏈Emotional Growth
💙Mental Health Rep
🏈Starting Over
💙Man Obsessed
🏈Unwavering Love
💙Dark Secrets & Betrayals
🏈Opposites Attract
💙Dual POV
🏈HEA
Buckle up kiddos…this is going to be a long one. First and foremost…ANASTASJIA WHITE…how do I even begin to thank you for writing this duet ?? The way I connected to the characters and the story is something I cannot explain. It was heartbreaking…beautiful…painful and REAL. This isn’t a flowery fairy tale romance where everything is perfect…these are two imperfect people finding love with each other in a way that defies the odds. There are real life complications. Real life issues, and Anastasjia doesn’t shy away from diving deep and giving it straight. You go from loving to hating to loving certain characters and it’s just like what we all do with certain people in our lives.
This is the second book in the Rules duet. You ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO read the first one to understand this one. And this is where I’m gonna start to lose my marbles in my review. I see some of you reviewing this book and openly hating it. But also openly stating you haven’t read the first book 👀😑 blame yourself for not liking the book. It states clearly it’s a duet. If you signed up for an arc I KNOW it said you needed to read the first. If you DNF’d the first book (which is TOTALLY OK. It’s not a book for everyone) then why read the second? Seems silly since it’s literally a continuation of the first. Also….I personally take HUGE offence to some of you calling people who like or are friends with Anastasjia her “minions” and that we give false reviews ? I’ll stop you right there. I’m not on her team. And even if I was, I would give my honest opinion. I’m on teams where some books just didn’t work for me and I’ve stated that…KINDLY. Personally attacking an author because you didn’t like the book? INSANITY. Reel it back in. It’s uncalled for. It’s unnecessary. Everyone is allowed to voice their opinions. You can voice your dislike for the characters you can voice your dislike for the story line. All. Good. It’s. Your. Opinion. What’s not ok is when you start coming for the author and other people your reviews. Don’t do that. Just because we liked it and you didn’t doesn’t mean we are minions.
Now…FOR THE GOOD STUFF…..or the painful stuff…just depends on how you look at it lol 😂 we pick up two months before the epilogue of book one and find out just what caused the giant fallout and cliffhanger that had me gasping for air. XANDER!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 I would have given this man the world in book one…but when I saw that he was emotionally cheating on Bella with his college ex gf and then kind of gaslighting her?? Making her feel like she was crazy??? Like SHE was to blame and the problem??? OH HELL NO!! I was ready to throw his a$$ in a wood chipper. Good gravy absolutely not. And then seeing that his SISTER was basically the puppet master and just creating chaos behind the scenes, cackling like dr evil?? See. This is why I said we need to feed her to the sharks…refer back to my review of book one. In. The. Trash. 🗑️
Xander deserved every bit of what he got and I was SO PROUD of Bella for FINALLY standing up for herself and breaking up with him. Breaking up and moving to a new city to take care of HERSELF?? Boss babe moves and I was carrying tears of joy while poking Xanders voodoo doll with pins. I said what I said 😤😤
Those of you coming for Bella…saying she was weak…no back bone….blah blah blah. Hush 🤫 you clearly have never been someone who’s experienced abuse and trauma your whole life. You clearly haven’t been made to feel small and insignificant. You clearly haven’t had to live your life to please others just so you wouldn’t have to suffer more at their hands. Bella was in CRISIS. She moved from abusive childhood to abusive relationship after abusive relationship. And the thing about that is, you become small. You try to make yourself small and insignificant because you want to make them happy and keep the peace. That’s how Bella lived her life. She wasn’t weak or a doormat. She was SCARED. She was living on autopilot in survival mode. And until you’ve truly experienced it, you can’t understand it.
Bella moving and ending things with Xander was the first step in her taking charge of her own life. And I know it was scary for her. I KNOW it wasn’t easy. But she did it and I was so proud. Those of you saying the author focused too much on the angst ? Again…hush 🤫 That was Bella’s reality. Point. Blank. Period.
I didn’t know if Xander could be redeemed. I didn’t know if Xander would learn. But after hating him for more than half the book I watched him redeem himself. I think what most of us forget is that Xander was learning and changing right along side Bella. What he did is inexcusable. Hands down. There was nothing shmexual while talking to his ex, but he rebuilt an emotional connection with her which threatened his relationship. His ex became his person when his person should have been his girlfriend , Bella. Xanders sister needed to be cut off and put in her place ASAP. I’m angry it took Xander so long to see the truth. But it’s hard when you want to believe the best in people. Especially your family.
I know some people are mad that Xander didn’t grovel more. I personally thought it was perfect. Grovelling wasn’t going to work for Bella. She had been fed lies and apologies…false promises her whole life. What she needed was to see action. See change. And in that aspect, Xander put in the work ten fold. The man showed her everyday that he loved her beyond measure. She showed her that he was changing. He was putting up boundaries. Defending her. Honouring her. Even when he wasn’t sure they would ever be together again because he loved her that much.
These were two broken people who met at a chaotic time in their lives. They needed to find each other to push them to be who they always were meant to be. But they also needed to fall apart to find that person on their own.
The ending…their happy ever after was everything I could have ever wanted for them and more. This duet will always have a special place in my heart. Along with Xanders voodoo doll…you know…just in case…I got your back Bella. We Isabella’s gotta stick together 💙
Thank you SO SO SO much to Anastasjia White and Greys PR for the incredible opportunity to ARC read this entire duet. I feel incredibly lucky to have been on this journey 💙
🏈Sports Romance
💙Second Book in Duet
🏈Football Romance
💙Second Chance Romance
🏈Protective Hero
💙Healing Heroine
🏈Traumatic Past
💙Abuse
🏈Emotional Cheating (by MMC)
💙It’s Always Been You
🏈Toxic Family
💙OW Drama
🏈Reunited Lovers
💙Heroine in Danger
🏈Touch Her & 💀
💙ANGST ANGST ANGST
🏈Emotional Growth
💙Mental Health Rep
🏈Starting Over
💙Man Obsessed
🏈Unwavering Love
💙Dark Secrets & Betrayals
🏈Opposites Attract
💙Dual POV
🏈HEA
July 10, 2025
ARC Review for Changing Rules Book 2 of Rules Duet by Anastasija White I loved this book I have been waiting for this book and Xander and Bella’s HEA since their ending in the first book and it did not disappoint. i was nervous how the first book ended i wasnt sure how i would feel going into this one but I love how it's written that it picks up right after the superbowl before the epilogue of the last book and then works its way to the epilogue so you can see what took place in that time so you can understand what happened and how everyrhing changed so fast and then it comes back to the present. This book picks up where the first book Breaking Rules left off and cannot be read as a standalone This is the continuation and conclusion of Bella and Xanders story. This is a NHL football quarterback, angsty, spicy, second chance romance. This book deals with the same heavy topics that were in the first book Abuse, Grief, Trauma, Sexual Assault, Obsession, Mental Health and Toxic Relationships. Bella and Xander haven't seen or talked to each other in a year Bella has been in NYC at design school and Xander is still in Boston playing for the Warriors she broke up with him before she left but now she's back in Boston and Xander has not stopped thinking about her or loving her he will do whatever it takes to get him back. Bella and Xander have to deal with multiple people trying to ruin and sabotage their relationship a few people in their lives have unhealthy obsessive feelings toward them and they have to navigate that. I loved reading the chapters before the breakup I'm sad they had to be apart but Bella definitely needed the time to grow and I love that she started seeing a therapist and how strong she became. I feel like the drama with Xander's sister and Bellas step dad was a little anticlimactic it kind of just dropped off with no real closure for me but I liked the closure with her ex Miller. I loved that they got their HEA and can't wait to see them again in a future book
July 1, 2025
Changing Rules by Anastasija White
What its About: Duet to Breaking Rules. Continuation of Xander and Bella. Xander will do anything to get Bella back but will it be enough? And what secrets will be uncovered?
My Thoughts: 5 stars!!! The emotional Rollercoaster this book put me through. From so much anger and rage in the beginning, heartbreak and sorrow in the middle to happiness and glee at the end. I truly enjoyed everything about this book. Xander is such a thoughtful, sexy, kind, protective man! Bella has come back as a badass and i love her more for it! Highly encourage you to read the first book Breaking Rules if you have not already done so. Changing Rules to be released July 9th!
Spice rating:🌶🌶🌶🌶. Spice on Spice on Spice. Did not take away from the plot at all. Man Xander is a dirty talking male and he had me sweating 🔥.
I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you @anastasija.white.author and @greyspromo for the opportunity!
What its About: Duet to Breaking Rules. Continuation of Xander and Bella. Xander will do anything to get Bella back but will it be enough? And what secrets will be uncovered?
My Thoughts: 5 stars!!! The emotional Rollercoaster this book put me through. From so much anger and rage in the beginning, heartbreak and sorrow in the middle to happiness and glee at the end. I truly enjoyed everything about this book. Xander is such a thoughtful, sexy, kind, protective man! Bella has come back as a badass and i love her more for it! Highly encourage you to read the first book Breaking Rules if you have not already done so. Changing Rules to be released July 9th!
Spice rating:🌶🌶🌶🌶. Spice on Spice on Spice. Did not take away from the plot at all. Man Xander is a dirty talking male and he had me sweating 🔥.
I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you @anastasija.white.author and @greyspromo for the opportunity!
July 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶.5
"My love for her is so intense that when she leaves a room, she takes all my breath with her. When she isn’t with me, when I can’t touch her, it’s like there’s no more oxygen. My love for her is everything. Bella owns my heart and my mind. She’s the fucking light at the end of the tunnel. The cure to all my ailments. The antidote against any poison. I can handle anything life throws at me as long as we’re together."
This book honestly made me cry so much. After the brutal cliffhanger from the first book, I was so ready for this one. But who knew, all the answers we got would make me sob, because that is exactly what it did to me.
Talk about Bella being a badass in this. Her character development was everything and more and I genuinely loved her more in this. The way she found her spine and grew a backbone, yes please. Because I was waiting for it and i was definitely not disappointed as it was worth the wait.
It was so sad and heartbreaking to see her put herself and her feelings last because of Xander's sister, his ex, or even the situation with Jake. So honestly I was relieved and happy when they broke up because it allowed her to spread her wings and find herself.
I loved Xander in book 1, but in the first half of this, I literally wanted to claw his eyes out, because he annoyed me so much. I understood that Audrey was his sister, but with how many boundaries she overstepped and Xander not setting boundaries until it was too late literally made my blood boil.
And Stacey, who knew emotionally cheating is literally almost as worse as physically cheating. I honestly don't know how i got through it because all I could think about was Bella, honestly my heart broke for her, and she made the right call to break up with him. Because all the hiding messages, meeting her in secret was literally my final straw. But I loved that after the breakup, he finally got the wake up call even though it was late. Although I would have loved to see him grovel a bit more, he definitely redeemed himself with the hardwork and even setting the boundaries.
I'm so happy they got their happy ending they deserved. And the epilogue, It honestly made me cry. It was the perfect wrap to the duet.
🌶🌶.5
"My love for her is so intense that when she leaves a room, she takes all my breath with her. When she isn’t with me, when I can’t touch her, it’s like there’s no more oxygen. My love for her is everything. Bella owns my heart and my mind. She’s the fucking light at the end of the tunnel. The cure to all my ailments. The antidote against any poison. I can handle anything life throws at me as long as we’re together."
This book honestly made me cry so much. After the brutal cliffhanger from the first book, I was so ready for this one. But who knew, all the answers we got would make me sob, because that is exactly what it did to me.
Talk about Bella being a badass in this. Her character development was everything and more and I genuinely loved her more in this. The way she found her spine and grew a backbone, yes please. Because I was waiting for it and i was definitely not disappointed as it was worth the wait.
It was so sad and heartbreaking to see her put herself and her feelings last because of Xander's sister, his ex, or even the situation with Jake. So honestly I was relieved and happy when they broke up because it allowed her to spread her wings and find herself.
I loved Xander in book 1, but in the first half of this, I literally wanted to claw his eyes out, because he annoyed me so much. I understood that Audrey was his sister, but with how many boundaries she overstepped and Xander not setting boundaries until it was too late literally made my blood boil.
And Stacey, who knew emotionally cheating is literally almost as worse as physically cheating. I honestly don't know how i got through it because all I could think about was Bella, honestly my heart broke for her, and she made the right call to break up with him. Because all the hiding messages, meeting her in secret was literally my final straw. But I loved that after the breakup, he finally got the wake up call even though it was late. Although I would have loved to see him grovel a bit more, he definitely redeemed himself with the hardwork and even setting the boundaries.
I'm so happy they got their happy ending they deserved. And the epilogue, It honestly made me cry. It was the perfect wrap to the duet.
July 6, 2025
✨ARC Review 📚✨
Book 2 in the Rules Duet. This book just like book one had me hooked from the beginning. This book is so emotional, and it touches on very strong topics, so please ready the trigger warnings before you start as some topics can be hard. In this book we continue with Bella and Xander and find out why book one ended the way it did. You will definitely be on a roller coaster of emotions as you follow along. Without spoilers let me just say I absolutely hated Xander’s sister Audrey so much, you will never get me to like her lol. Bella and Xander’s story definitely dealt with a lot but they got their happily ever after and I absolutely loved how this story ended.
Thank you to author Anastasija White and Grey’s Promotions for the opportunity to ARC read this book.
Book 2 in the Rules Duet. This book just like book one had me hooked from the beginning. This book is so emotional, and it touches on very strong topics, so please ready the trigger warnings before you start as some topics can be hard. In this book we continue with Bella and Xander and find out why book one ended the way it did. You will definitely be on a roller coaster of emotions as you follow along. Without spoilers let me just say I absolutely hated Xander’s sister Audrey so much, you will never get me to like her lol. Bella and Xander’s story definitely dealt with a lot but they got their happily ever after and I absolutely loved how this story ended.
Thank you to author Anastasija White and Grey’s Promotions for the opportunity to ARC read this book.
July 10, 2025
5/5 stars
This was such a good conclusion to Xander and Bella's story. Seeing how they worked up and had conversations and other things to help build up that relationship again was really enjoyable. The way that they both never truly lost feelings and loved each other as if they hadn't been apart for some time was one of my favorite things. Seeing Bella stand up for herself and not let certain things just fly over her as they used to was so just good to read about because she didn't let anyone talk down to her. And milo we can't forget about him, I loved the way he reacted when he saw Bella again and that was so precious and heartwarming. This was such an enjoyable read for me and I truly can't wait to read more of Ana's work.
This was such a good conclusion to Xander and Bella's story. Seeing how they worked up and had conversations and other things to help build up that relationship again was really enjoyable. The way that they both never truly lost feelings and loved each other as if they hadn't been apart for some time was one of my favorite things. Seeing Bella stand up for herself and not let certain things just fly over her as they used to was so just good to read about because she didn't let anyone talk down to her. And milo we can't forget about him, I loved the way he reacted when he saw Bella again and that was so precious and heartwarming. This was such an enjoyable read for me and I truly can't wait to read more of Ana's work.
July 2, 2025
4.5⭐️
3.5🌶️
This is such a beautiful story of heartbreak, finding yourself and redemption. These two really did need to work on themselves before they could be stronger as a unit.
I really hated Anastasia for the cliffhanger at the end of book one, but after reading the second book you really understand all of the moving pieces that she was trying to put together.
I had a feeling that I knew who the bad guy in this entire situation situation was, but I was still kind of surprised at how it happened when it all came together. This book really keeps you on your toes the entire ride.
Such a great duet!
3.5🌶️
This is such a beautiful story of heartbreak, finding yourself and redemption. These two really did need to work on themselves before they could be stronger as a unit.
I really hated Anastasia for the cliffhanger at the end of book one, but after reading the second book you really understand all of the moving pieces that she was trying to put together.
I had a feeling that I knew who the bad guy in this entire situation situation was, but I was still kind of surprised at how it happened when it all came together. This book really keeps you on your toes the entire ride.
Such a great duet!
July 18, 2025
Xander and Bella… I’m obsessed.
This series seriously owns me. Book 1 had me fully hooked — the chemistry, the tension, that cliffhanger! And then Book 2 came in and completely wrecked me in the best way.
Xander and Bella are just… fire. Their connection is intense and emotional and HOT. Like, I had to take breaks just to breathe kind of hot 🥵
What really made this one stand out, though, is how much I cared about everyone. The side characters added so much depth and heart. I laughed, I yelled, I fanned myself, it was a full experience.
If you’re craving a romance with spice, heart, tension, and characters you’ll fall in love with, this one delivers all of it.
July 6, 2025
This is book 2 of the Rules duet and we get all of the answers we needed 🩵
It follows Bella and Xander again, starting from when they were together and this is where we find out what went wrong and then goes into the current day timeline, a year after she'd left town for school. Bella returns to town and Xander is determined to show her he's changed his ways and win his girl back 😍
"𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉. 𝑰'𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
The tension, the heartbreak, the longing. All of the emotions these two go through. Both had personal issues to work through separately and the growth between both of them was amazing to see.
"𝑴𝒓 𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
Another amazing read from one of my favourites. Definitely recommend this duet.
It follows Bella and Xander again, starting from when they were together and this is where we find out what went wrong and then goes into the current day timeline, a year after she'd left town for school. Bella returns to town and Xander is determined to show her he's changed his ways and win his girl back 😍
"𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉. 𝑰'𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
The tension, the heartbreak, the longing. All of the emotions these two go through. Both had personal issues to work through separately and the growth between both of them was amazing to see.
"𝑴𝒓 𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
Another amazing read from one of my favourites. Definitely recommend this duet.
July 17, 2025
“You’re my everything, my reason, but also, you are my priority. Priority, not option.”
What an emotional rollercoaster ride this duet put me on! I cannot say enough good things about this duet. The anger, angst, the groveling, suspense, and them finding their way together PERFECTION in my eyes. If like me after book 1 you were spiraling to see how could that happen be prepared to be heartbroken. Even when I was upset at Xander I couldn’t stay upset because I understood his situation and Bella was completely right in how she protected her peace. Audrey gets no passes and if she is in the daughter’s story she will get a side eye. This story does start prior to the epilogue of book 1 so we get the full story going into her return and like a said a wild ride. I am very excited for the daughter’s book I loved Ava and Colton’s story also with the teaser we had at the end of Power Play very excited for the next generation.
~~What to Expect~~
🏈Pro Football
🏈2nd Chance
🏈Angsty
🏈Groveling
🏈Dual POV
🏈M/F
🏈Suspense
🏈Emotional Cheating
🏈Found Family
~~Quotes~~
💙I love you Alexander Walker but I need you to let me go.
💙We are a perfect match, and if we stay together we’re guaranteed to burn.
What an emotional rollercoaster ride this duet put me on! I cannot say enough good things about this duet. The anger, angst, the groveling, suspense, and them finding their way together PERFECTION in my eyes. If like me after book 1 you were spiraling to see how could that happen be prepared to be heartbroken. Even when I was upset at Xander I couldn’t stay upset because I understood his situation and Bella was completely right in how she protected her peace. Audrey gets no passes and if she is in the daughter’s story she will get a side eye. This story does start prior to the epilogue of book 1 so we get the full story going into her return and like a said a wild ride. I am very excited for the daughter’s book I loved Ava and Colton’s story also with the teaser we had at the end of Power Play very excited for the next generation.
~~What to Expect~~
🏈Pro Football
🏈2nd Chance
🏈Angsty
🏈Groveling
🏈Dual POV
🏈M/F
🏈Suspense
🏈Emotional Cheating
🏈Found Family
~~Quotes~~
💙I love you Alexander Walker but I need you to let me go.
💙We are a perfect match, and if we stay together we’re guaranteed to burn.
June 27, 2025
FINALLY! I hated the cliffhanger in the first and thought HOWD WE GET HERE?? But after finishing this book, I can safely say I'm no longer upset. It ended exactly as it should have for Bella and Alex. There were so many villians in this! Not often do I have to keep putting my back down because of my emotions, and this book had me going through it. Loved their connection. Their all consuming love was perfect. Easily one of my favorite duets.
August 12, 2025
When Bella leaves Boston, she takes Xander's heart with her. But when she returns, Xander is determined to make her see that he's the right man for her. I really enjoyed this second chance romance. This book is part two of their story. To see Bella's character growth after she returned was rewarding. This story is emotionally charged and had a very satisfying HEA.
July 10, 2025
I was literally pulling my hair out during the first half of the book and seriously debated chucking my kindle. Also, there were a lot of little things that I feel like I didn’t get closure on. Regardless, it was gross how fast I gobbled this book up.
Want to read
June 9, 2025Im so excited to read about what happened between Xander and Bella. And why the hell meg hates Audrey ….
July 12, 2025
This book completely destroyed me in order to rebuild me better. I loved finding Xander and Bella again, and learn more about them. I appreciated Bella's development and her reconstruction far from Xander. Her emancipation was what allowed her to assert herself and reveal her true nature: the one of a fighter. In addition, this isolated time also allowed Xander to refocus on himself and to become aware of his errors and those of the people around him. Two souls are made for each other when they find themselves back in front of adversity.
August 25, 2025
Really disappointed with the emotional cheating trope. It just about ruined this book for me.
July 16, 2025
Changing Rules (ARC review)
Thank you to Anastasija White for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
What a beauty. This book was everything! I adored everything about it. Alexander and Isabella were incredible. Once again, they showed how perfect they were for each other. These two went through so much pain and heartbreak. They way they seemed to find their way back to each other was perfect. Each moment they shared was so beautiful and special. Isabella was truly a strong and sweet woman. Alexander, on the other hand, was truly a man obsessed with her. She was his breath and his whole life. She was his priority, and they truly deserved the best. The epilogue was my favorite. Seeing them happy and building their beautiful little family meant the world to me!
Book by: Anastasija White
Tropes:
• Second chance
• Sports romance
• Touch her & d!e
•Dark secrets
• It's always been you
My rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice level: 2,5/5 🔥
Thank you to Anastasija White for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
What a beauty. This book was everything! I adored everything about it. Alexander and Isabella were incredible. Once again, they showed how perfect they were for each other. These two went through so much pain and heartbreak. They way they seemed to find their way back to each other was perfect. Each moment they shared was so beautiful and special. Isabella was truly a strong and sweet woman. Alexander, on the other hand, was truly a man obsessed with her. She was his breath and his whole life. She was his priority, and they truly deserved the best. The epilogue was my favorite. Seeing them happy and building their beautiful little family meant the world to me!
Book by: Anastasija White
Tropes:
• Second chance
• Sports romance
• Touch her & d!e
•Dark secrets
• It's always been you
My rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice level: 2,5/5 🔥
July 14, 2025
I could not wait for this book. I was so excited to see what happens with Xander and Bella. Once I started I could not put the book down. This book was everything I could want for them and more. There was emotions and spice between these two. Their story tug at my heart I felt for Xander so many times. This is a can’t miss book !!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews